In a perfect world, every animal should be given a chance to live a good life, whether in the wild or next to a caring and responsible owner. But we don't live in a perfect world. And in this flawed society of ours, reckless people tend to get in the way of the happiness of some of the animals we happen to share the planet with. Today, we'll take a look at Yuki's story. He's not the first animal to be abandoned by a careless owner, and he will sadly not be the last. But can he find happiness in the end?
In this heartbreaking tale of twists and turns, we will tell you all about what happens when a sweet puppy suddenly became way too big for his own good. Estranged by his owner, Yuki went through the worst, only to be taken in by a caring group of animal lovers. But soon, they discovered something strange about the dog, and suddenly, the lives of the animals and the workers at the kill shelter were in danger.
Passionate About Animals
Saying that Nancy Smith is passionate about animals may be a bit of an understatement. She's been working as an animal rescuer for the past 27 years, ever since she nursed an injured black leopard cub back to health in 1993. One year later, she took in 4 wolves from a local zoo and turned her backyard into a bonafide sanctuary to fuel her passion. Back then, there were no rules or regulations in place to protect the animals from abuse in Collier County.
Today, she dedicates herself fully to helping animals in need, with a particular focus on wolves. She's the founder of the Shy Wolf Sanctuary in Naples, where she works with other animal-loving volunteers and provides a permanent home to over 60 rescued animals.
Surrounded By Animal Lovers
It's easy to say that we love animals and care for their wellbeing. But there are very few people who go above and beyond to help them, especially when they need it the most. Fortunately, she is surrounded by other volunteers who are prepared to help her in her mission for free.
One of such is the young and passionate Brittany Allen. But even though the dedicated team that works at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary has seen their share of large animals, none of them were prepared when Nancy received a strange phone call in 2008...
A Distressed Phone Call
Nancy's phone rings all the time with people asking for help to deal with wild, injured, or abandoned animals. But there was something particular about the phone call she received that day. Because on the other side of the line was a man, who refused to disclose his identity.
He had a sense of urgency in his voice when he explained that he needed to drop off his dog, whose name was Yuki, at the shelter. The reason? The once-tiny puppy had grown much more than expected, and the owner no longer had the resources or the experience needed to care for it.
The Owner Didn't Know What He Had Signed Up For
The man on the phone said that his friend bought the dog at a boot camp in North Carolina and left it with him. He sounded overwhelmed, but he assured Nancy that he had done everything required from a responsible dog owner. He bought all the essential supplies and did his research on exotic dog breeds before taking Yuki in.
But even when he thought he was ready for this life-changing commitment, nothing could prepare him for what awaited him next! Once a cute tiny puppy, Yuki had now become too big to live inside the house and his sheer size was becoming a problem.
Yuki Was Living In A Makeshift Shelter
Yuki had grown into an impressive 5-foot tall canine by the time he was 8 months old! This is a scary situation for any unprepared dog owner to be in. The man on the phone told Nancy that he was keeping Yuki in a makeshift shelter in his backyard because he no longer fit inside the house
But even after Yuki was banished from the house, his size was making the owner really scared. He was desperate to get some help from professionals, and he thought Nancy would be the perfect person to help him deal with the giant dog.
No Vacancies
Nancy wanted to help the stranger on the phone but knowing how busy the shelter was at the time, she realized that she couldn't keep an animal of Yuki's size. She politely turned down his request, promising to call him back if they had more space in the future. But her response didn't offer any consolation to the distressed owner.
Nancy apologized to the man, hoping that he would be able to find another solution. But she soon received some shocking news from a local animal shelter that would leave her with no choice but to reconsider her decision.
A Second Call
Not long after Nancy received the call from Yuki's anonymous owner, her phone rang once again. This time, it was a local kill shelter in Florida that worked mostly with abandoned animals up for adoption, such as domestic cats and small dogs.
The staff at the Broward Animal Shelter asked Nancy to come urgently to help with a strange creature tied outside their premises. At the time, Nancy didn't even consider that this incident might be related to the anonymous call she'd received before. She simply rushed to the shelter where her urgent help was required, but when she saw the massive beast with her own eyes, her jaw dropped.
Over Their Heads
The kind people at Broward Animal Shelter work hard to help abandoned pets find a temporary safe environment and, eventually, a permanent new home. Over the years, the staff had welcomed all kinds of animals in their shelter. But that day, they seemed clearly overwhelmed by an unannounced guest who was unlike anything they had ever seen before.
They had no doubts this was a task for Nancy, as she was the best person in town to help them deal with the unfamiliar situation they had found themselves in. But even someone of Nancy's stature wasn't prepared for what was about to happen.
An Extraordinary Creature
When she reached the shelter, Nancy couldn't believe her eyes. Locked inside a cage that was clearly too small for its size, was a beast-like dog that was at least 5 feet tall. Looking around, the animal seemed completely out of place. The tiny pets the shelter was used to, made this creature look like a huge grizzly bear!
Nancy cautiously inspected the beast from outside the cage and realized that the four-legged creature the shelter had mistaken for a dog, wasn't a dog after all! But despite its big scary teeth and sharp claws, its sweet puppy-like eyes made Nancy's heart melt.
An Irresponsible Move
Nancy wanted to know more about this fascinating creature. The staff at Broward Animal Shelter told her that the "dog" had been left outside, abandoned by its owner. It was at that moment when Nancy thought of the call she'd received not long ago. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?
This gigantic dog-like creature had to be Yuki! Abandoning a huge animal outside a shelter without notice was a very irresponsible move, but the man on the phone seemed desperate enough to pull something off like this. Without further judgment, Nancy rolled up her sleeves and decided to intervene. After all, destiny had brought her and Yuki together for a reason.
Yuki's New Home
Nancy wasn't happy about the irresponsible owner's attitude towards Yuki, but she could not leave Yuki out in the cold. To the relief of the staff working at the Broward Animal Shelter, Nancy loaded the beast into her van and decided to drive back to the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. Yuki was under the wing of his new owner now.
Nancy was always happy to help any animal in need, but she also felt very excited to know more about this fascinating new creature. She suspected that Yuki was a special type of hybrid dog, but she wanted to run a proper DNA test to confirm her theory.
A People's Favorite
While Nancy awaited the DNA test results, Yuki was put in isolation until he was neutered and thoroughly inspected for any diseases that could put the safety of the volunteers and other animals at the sanctuary in danger. The medical inspection found that he was completely disease-free and in good health. Yuki's owner might have recklessly abandoned him outside a shelter but at least he fed him well and kept him relatively clean.
Yuki was also making friends at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. His sheer size and menacing teeth might have been intimidating at first, but he eventually won people over with his beautiful eyes. It was no surprise that he became an immediate favorite, winning the hearts of many volunteers.
DNA Test Reveals Yuki's True Identity
When the DNA results finally came in, Nancy's suspicions were confirmed. Yuki was a wolf-dog, a type of canine that's illegal to own in at least 40 U.S. states, including Florida. The beastly animal was 87.5% gray wolf, 8.6% Siberian husky, and 3.9% german shepherd.
Even though wolfdogs are an ancient breed that some believe to be over 5,000 years old, they're legally considered to be wild animals, and hence unsuitable as pets. As majestic and friendly as Yuki may be, the simple fact someone took him in as a pet was incredibly unwise.
Dangerously Beautiful
Owning a high content wolfdog like Yuki might sound exciting, but these animals require more work and care than regular house pets, hence they are illegal in many areas and are even considered dangerous because of their instinctual wolf-like behaviors.
Some owners may not even be aware of their dog's true lineage because sometimes, wolfdogs are registered as huskies or Shephard-mix to avoid legal trouble. The real problem begins when they end up in a shelter where they may terrorize other animals or become a liability, in which cases, they must be euthanized or sent off to special sanctuaries for exotic animals.
Dangers Of Keeping Wolfdogs
Unfortunately, Yuki is not the first exotic animal to be taken in as a cub only to be abandoned later. His first anonymous owner said he was ill-advised by his friend and had no idea that he was more wolf than dog! What makes these breeds even more dangerous is that there are no approved vaccines for wolfdogs so if they end up attacking the owner or other people, there is very little choice but to have them impounded.
These majestic creatures also require more exercise than regular dogs, and must never be taken off their leash due to their innate prey drive. That's why people shouldn't get fooled by these cute furry babies and act without thinking of the consequences. This applies not only to wolfdogs but to all types of wild animals.
Not Suited For Pet Life
Besides the dangers of keeping a wolfdog as a pet, owners must also think about the consequences of such a practice on the wild animals themselves who are not meant to be kept in confined spaces or small homes. They're genetically designed to run free, hunt prey, and excel in packs, and they love nature more than anything else.
Yuki was sadly adopted by an irresponsible man when he was just a pup, and now he had nowhere to go. Nancy was trying to provide him with the best environment she could, but not even the world's greatest animal sanctuary can ever replace life in the wild.
Not The First, Sadly Not The Last
Even though Yuki's story is incredible, it's sadly not a one-of-a-kind tale. The Shy Wolf Sanctuary has seen many abandoned wolfdogs over its 20-plus years of existence, and the situation seems to only be getting worse.
Every year, Nancy deals with 20 to 100 cases of abandoned wolfdogs, and wolfdogs are amongst the most commonly abandoned type of exotic pets in the U.S. Taking care of these many wolfdogs is far from easy. Yuki was a sweetie at first, but these wild animals always end up showing their true nature...
Struck By Tragedy
Yuki's seemingly nice behavior was affected by an accident at the sanctuary. The poor wolfdog was enjoying a walk when he got his leg stuck on a palmetto. The beastly creature proved to be more fragile than expected, and taking care of Yuki's wrecked leg was far from easy.
The injury was extremely serious, and it took 5 surgeries before Yuki was up and running once again. But the traumatic experience had a nasty effect on Yuki's behavior: the wolfdog became more aggressive and hard to deal with. Still, he continued to trust some of the people who worked at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary.
Remember Brittany?
Remember Brittany, who was introduced as one of the hard-working volunteers assisting Nancy at the sanctuary? She was one of the select few people Yuki trusted around him, and she had a unique and special relationship with the majestic creature.
Britanny was lucky and brave enough to embrace the animal without suffering any sort of ghastly consequences, and Yuki looks like a truly happy wolfdog alongside Brittany! But little did Yuki know that the beautiful pictures he took with his trusted carer would end up turning him into an overnight Internet sensation.
People Could Not Believe Yuki Was Real
This photo of Brittany and Yuki was posted on the Shy Wolf Sanctuary Facebook page and stirred an immediate reaction online. Even a grown woman like Brittany looks like a kid next to the beastly animal! Yuki's sheer size was so impressive that many people claimed this picture was actually photoshopped.
But as soon as the online animal lovers realized wolfdogs were a thing, Yuki became an online sensation. And it wasn't long before people started comparing him to the mythical direwolves that appeared on the popular TV show Game of Thrones.
A Real-Life Direwolf?
In Game of Thrones, direwolves are a species of unusually large and intelligent wolves. They play an important role in the series, providing companionship and protection to the members of the House of Stark.
When Yuki was first introduced to his Internet fans, Game of Thrones was still airing on HBO, so it was only natural that many people compared him to his mythical look-alike, Ghost, the direwolf adopted by Jon Snow. But while Yuki could be easily compared to a fantasy creature, he was about to meet a sad and tragical taste of reality...
Yuki Has A Bossy Friend!
Even though the Shy Wolf Sanctuary cannot replace the experiences of living in the wild, it does provide the animals with some special treats, the most important one being the company and friendship of other large animals.
Yuki always hung out with Bella, a female wolfdog who also lives at the sanctuary. The two became best buddies and loved to have fun together, but, as the sanctuary director Jeremy Albrecht puts it, Bella 'was by far the dominant one.' There was finally someone big enough to boss Yuki around after all!
Concerns Over Yuki's Health
Yuki lived at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary for many years, and regardless of the sanctuary's name, he was never a shy wolf at all. Besides being an Internet celebrity; he was also a playful and energetic company, who loved to keep his carers busy.
But one day, something changed in Yuki's behavior. The poor animal started eating less, resting more, and ignoring playtime completely. Was he just getting old and lazy, or was there something more serious happening to the beloved wolfdog? Either way, the Shy Wolf Sanctuary volunteers needed to get him checked up as soon as possible.
Terminally Ill
Yuki was terminally ill and diagnosed with an incurable hemangiosarcoma, which is a form of fast-growing and highly invasive blood cancer that's almost exclusive to canines. It seemed like the 'dog' in the world's favorite wolfdog was showing its frailty, and the news was heartbreaking for the workers at the sanctuary who had gotten so close to him over the years.
In spite of his impressive size, terrifying teeth, and stomping paws, poor Yuki was as delicate as any other animal out there. But even though there was nothing to be done in regards to Yuki's horrible diagnosis, the inspiring wolfdog was leaving a powerful mark on people around him.
Yuki Helped The Sanctuary Raise Money
Yuki stayed at the Shy Wolf Sanctuary for 12 years, leaving an undeletable mark in the animal-loving institution. He's the face of the sanctuary, and one of the favorite animals of every volunteer that has worked there for the past decade. Besides, he's an Internet superstar whose fame has helped the sanctuary to raise a lot of money and awareness.
The GoFundMe page of the Shy Wolf Sanctuary (still working hard to achieve its $100K goal) features a video of Yuki as a way of incentivizing people to donate. They're trying to expand into a new 20-acre location so they can continue to help more estranged animals like Yuki.
Sad News for Yuki Fans
On November 12, 2020, the Shy Wolf Sanctuary released a very sad notice via their Instagram page. They announced that 13-year-old Yuki passed away in his enclosure, dying peacefully during the night. Comments poured in from all over the world as thousands of fans reacted with grief to the horrible news.
The Shy Wolf Sanctuary volunteers praised Yuki's legacy and unique personality and mentioned that his wolfdog partner Bella was okay but missed her pack-mate very much. Without Yuki's unmistakable presence, the sanctuary felt like a greyer place. The volunteers were "absolutely heartbroken" and ended the tribute by saying "we will all miss him."
Gone, But Never Forgotten
They can be small, quirky, grumpy, playful, and impressively large. But no matter how they are, all animals have a way of showing us that love is a universal language that's understood even between different species. Yuki went from being a rejected estranged "dog" to become the Internet's favorite wolfdog, all due to the power of love.
Thanks to Nancy and all the other carers at the sanctuary, Yuki was entitled to a better life than just living in a cage. He was loved, photographed, had fun with volunteers and with his pack-mate Bella, and even became a celebrity without ever knowing it! And even though Yuki is gone by now, the memory of his sweet puppy eyes will never truly leave us.